My sisters and I are headed for France in mid-January. (We are from Chicago, so we are no strangers to cold weather!) I read Rick Steve’s advice about rail pass vs point-to-point tickets and the importance of buying tickets in advance. But I am still confused! (Don’t worry, Rick; I’m sure it’s me, not you.) Once we get to Paris, we plan on taking a cab to Gare St. Lazare. From there, trains leave frequently to Rouen. But how can we buy tickets in advance if we don’t know exactly what time we will arrive at the station? Can we just buy tickets for Paris to Rouen for a certain date without specifying a departure time? Any help would be appreciated.
Posted by
Chicago
9371 posts
you have to decide if you are willing to risk the time or the money.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
6719 posts
If you buy a ticket and miss the train then you need to buy a new ticket. Given the real possibility of a delay at some point in the trip, before getting to the station, it is always the advice to either buy an advance ticket that is several hours after your theoretical arrival time, or just get the ticket when you arrive. Given how inexpensive the tickets are and how frequent the trains are, I can't see any advantage with an advance purchase.